Different Paths, Same Fate
by FayeLeonhart
Summary: What if none of the character's ended up in the orphange? What if Julia never died? What if Laguna went back to Winhill with Ellone? What would have happened? Chap 4 is up yay!!! I'm starting on Chap 5 and 6. They should be done before Christmas.
1. Chapter 1

I don't own any of the FF characters or anything so yeah.  This is a "what if" story so tell me what you think about it, if I should change anything, and if you liked it.  Thanks.

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~Chapter One~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Esthar~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have never liked my father.  He was never there for us, me, my mom, or Ellone.  He had his job and he appeared to love it.  No matter how hard I tried I couldn't like him.  He was never there.  I barely knew him.  Sometimes he was in Esthar, sometimes who knows where with his friends Kiros and Ward, but never in Winhill with us.  I spent my childhood there, in a small apartment over my mom's bar.  Laguna never took us to live in Esthar with him.  

My childhood was simple but short.  I didn't have a care in the world.  Just sis and me running through the fields around Winhill, mom and me shopping, or even sometimes when I still liked him Laguna and me.  It all changed.  I went from a carefree five-year-old to a motherless six-year-old.  My birth had taken so much out of my mother that the doctors said she shouldn't have any more kids.  Laguna wanted more even though I don't know why.  He was great with other people's kids even Ellone but when it came to me his own child he just couldn't talk to me.  Maybe that was why he wanted another child, he didn't understand me I was weird to him.  My mother understood me, understood that I was quiet that I couldn't put my feelings into words easily.  She understood and cared for me but Laguna couldn't.  He insisted on having another child, and so my mother complied.  

She died giving birth to my little brother.  A little brother I hated for two reasons.  One: I was convinced at the time that he killed my mother after a while I realized it was Laguna.  Two: My father loved him like he couldn't or wouldn't love me.  I was jealous and I hated myself for that.  Ian was my brother cursed name.  The name I often said with bitterness.

Sis seemed to try to take over my mom's place but she couldn't.  I loved her and she loved me she understood me too but she still couldn't take mom's place no one could, especially not my stepmother.  She thought I was strange or stupid.  I never talked to her not on the day I met her, not on the day she married Laguna, and not on the day he died.  It had been barely a year and a half since my mom died when Laguna announced his engagement to her.  

Ellone, Ian, and I were living in Esthar at that time.  Ellone was going to some sort of school and I had started second grade.  I was unhappy, Ian and Ellone weren't but I was.  Laguna treated Ellone as he always had and Ian as if he were a king.  I was pushed into the background but I had plans.  

I started making my plans at Laguna's and Veronica's wedding, while I was sitting in the audience alone.  I wasn't in the wedding ceremony.  Ellone was the flower girl and Ian was the ring bearer (I didn't even get the job of pushing the little twerp's carriage down the aisle.  I was lucky to have been invited at all).  I knew at that time that Laguna really didn't care for me.  I had tried to ignore it but I had to accept the truth since it was staring me in the face.  I was a bother to him and a painful reminder of my mother.  I looked too much like her and he had at one time loved her but to him she left and it was her fault not his, never his, he was mad about that.

My plans were always of ways to get away from Laguna.  I had many most of which couldn't work but all of them were ways of leaving this life behind and starting anew.  Nine years old, that was when I really left childhood, I had forgotten about it when I was six but left it at nine.  I signed up at Balamb Garden to train to become a SeeD.  I knew Ian would never follow me there so I could escape from being overshadowed by him.  Laguna didn't seem happy about me going to the Garden but I didn't care.  It was to late for him to be concerned about me.  I wanted nothing more to do with him.  Sis was sad to see me go and she wasn't allowed to go with me.  She didn't want to anyway she just didn't want to be left alone with Ian.  He was spoiled and she knew it.  She loved me and would miss me.  I said goodbye only to her and left quietly not even waiting for Laguna to take me to the train station.  That marked the first step I took on the path that I was going to make for myself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_Deling City_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Mom are you going to be okay?" a little girl with pale skin and black hair asked.  

"Yes Rinoa, I'll be fine.  I just have to go to the hospital for a few days.  I'll be all better when it get back." Julia told her daughter.  

"Ok.  Feel better mom" Rinoa waved at her mother from a window.  

"I hope she's going to be alright," thought Rinoa out loud.  

She then went upstairs to her room.  It was decorated in all pink even though she hated that color.  Her father had picked everything out even after her mom told him that his daughter's favorite color was blue.  He had ignored her so now Rinoa's room was just one big fluffy, lacy, and pink speck on the earth.  

Rinoa dove under her bed and pulled out a dark brown case.  In it was her weapon the blaster edge, Pinwheel.  She had just started to train with it after she had begged her mother to let her cancel either dance lessons or piano lessons and take fighting ones.  Julia had been reluctant but she let her.  Knowing how to fight was important these days with all the monsters, resistance groups, and wars around.  Rinoa figured she would practice with her weapon for a while to ease away some of the worry she had for her mom.  Julia had been getting sick a lot and her father didn't seem to care.  He only cared about his job and keeping his family locked away from the outside world.  He coddled them but not with love but with the want to alienate them from the world and keep them to himself.  It was smothering.  "He used to care," Rinoa remembered.  "He used to be there, we used to do things together as a family."  "Just let mom get better and I'll try to like my father more." Rinoa bargained with unseen force before she left her room to train.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_Dollet_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Damn you boy.  What the hell do you think you're doing?" a strong looking man picked up his son by the back of his neck and shook him.  

"Leave him alone Darrel," the man's wife cried.   

The man threw the boy at her and said, "That's right you just go baby him forever Liza.  See what good it'll do ya.  You'll just turn him into a big sissy."  

The boy's eyes started to fill with tears that he would not let fall.  Darrel left.  

"Seifer are you okay?" Liza asked.  

"Yeah mom I'm fine, and one day everything here is going to be fine.  I'm gonna grow up and train to become strong then I'm gonna come back here for you.  He won't be able to stop me," he told her.  

"You shouldn't think about hurting your father."  

"Why not?  He hurts us all the time.  I'm gonna get strong and show him how it feels to be beaten."  

"Oh Seifer.  You shouldn't do that.  Go and train to get strong but go protect others don't fight your father."  

"Yes mom."  "That's my good son.  The son I know ands love." Liza hugged her son.  

"Where do you think you're going to go train?" she asked.  

"Well I was hoping you could convince dad to pay for lessons."  

"What you don't want to go to a Garden like your friends Fujin and Rajin."  

"Nah.  I wanna stay here and protect you."  

"Honey you don't have to do that.  I'm a big girl.  I can take care of myself.  Tomorrow we'll get your father to sign you up for whichever Garden you want.  You'll not be kept from your dreams on my account."  

"Thanks mom you're the best."  Seifer leaned against his mom and she put her arm around his shoulder, just mother and son for now, no worries about the father, just happy to be in each other's presence.


	2. Chapter 2

Note to some people.  Some of you might not like what I do to Zell, Irvine, and Selphie in this chapter.  I don't think it's that bad but you might.

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~Chapter Two~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Galbadia~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Mr. And Mrs. Trepe, hello.  How good it is to see you.  I called you here to discuss Quistis' future.  She is really a very bright child and I don't think that this school is challenging her enough." Quistis' teacher said.  Quistis sat outside the classroom trying to hear what was going on.  She knew she wasn't in trouble but she was still curious.  "Curiosity killed the cat," a voice, the janitor, said.  Quistis nodded and since she wasn't able to hear one word that was said anyway she stopped trying to listen.  Instead she leaned back in the chair and closed her eyes.  

"We here at the school think that Quistis would be better off in a private school or in one of the three Gardens." Quistis' teacher was continuing.  

"Gardens?" Mrs. Trepe asked.  

"Yes, one of the three Gardens.  There, Quistis could get a great education and study the art of fighting.  Each one specializes in some area.  Trabia is more into the arts, Balamb has a great educational program but because it is so close to the town of Balamb kids could get distracted, and Galbadia it also has a great educational program and it really put emphasis on fighting."  

"Well if you think that sending our Quisty to one of these Gardens will help her alone the way then I don't see why we shouldn't let her go." Mr. Trepe stated.  

"Oh good then here's the numbers to each of the Gardens." Quistis' teacher told them as she ushered them out the door.

Twelve days later Quistis was packed and being taken to Galbadia Garden by her parents.  She was actually looking forward to going and now that she was almost there she was really excited.  Her only worry was that she didn't know how to use the whip her parents had got for her.  She didn't think she would be able to learn how to use it and she didn't like failing at anything.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Balamb~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Selphie was getting tired and scared.  She had been sitting at her school all afternoon waiting for her mom to pick her up.  Her mom, her dad, and her were supposed to go out to dinner with her dad's friends tonight and Selphie didn't want to be late.  A few minutes later she noticed a policeman and a grumpy looking woman enter her school.  She shook her head they weren't her mom or dad so she didn't care.

Selphie got up and decided to walk home.  On her way there she passed a car wreck, it was her mother's car.  Selphie started to shake all over.  Swaying from side to side before finally falling to the ground.  She let out a strangled cry and then lay there sobbing.  A hospital worker found her.  By that time she had stopped crying and was rocking back and forth.  Her eyes were wide open staring at the crash site she wasn't blinking.  The hospital worker took her in an ambulance to the hospital; another followed with what Selphie knew was her parents' bodies.  At the hospital she was taken to the children's ward, placed in a bed, and had an IV hooked to her.  She was still not responding.  Curled up now in a tight ball still with her eyes opened wide.

The grumpy looking woman from Selphie's school was now at the hospital.  Selphie didn't notice however since she was still in shock.  It turned out that the woman was Selphie's Aunt Nadia and the person she was going to live with.  

"What's wrong with her?" Nadia asked the doctor.  

"She's in shock right now but we think she'll probably be better in a couple of days.  Then you can take her home with you" He responded.  

"Yeah great" said Nadia with false enthusiasm.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_Dollet_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Get back here you little thief," a rather obese shopkeeper yelled.  Zell took off at a run.  The shopkeeper never had a chance to catch him.  He was panting before he reached the end of the block.  Zell just ran on only slowing to make a face at the shopkeeper.

Zell zoomed into an alleyway and stopped.  Feeling around for the hole in the wall he sighed.  At last finding it he crawled inside.  As his eyes adjusted to the dim light he looked around.  "Home sweet home," he mumbled.  His home was small dark room that held only a pallet, a light, and what appeared to be a very old very beat up suitcase.  Zell climbed onto the pallet and reached for his bag that contained his stolen food.  After he finished eating he rolled onto his side and drifted into sleep, only to be shaken awake a few hours later.

"Wake up boy.  Come on now wake up." a policeman shook Zell.  Zell jumped up out of the policeman's grasp.  Three other cops made their way towards him.  In an attempt to flee from them Zell struck out using whatever fighting moves he knew.  The police still cornered him.  He was trapped and didn't have any other options.  He bowed his head in submission but still fought to get free.  

Outside it had started to rain and Zell was just about ready to give up fighting when a gunshot rang out across the alleyway.  Zell looked up to see a boy about his age with dirty hair and torn clothes standing on a roof holding up a gun.  The police let go of Zell in order to get their weapons out.  Zell ran from them not looking back, not even caring if the boy that saved him was ok.  He turned a corner and ran right into his savior.  

"Come this way." The boy said.  Zell figured the cops were still following them so he ran after the boy.  Threw winding streets they ran and didn't stop until the boy threw his hand out and almost clothes lined Zell.  Zell glared at him.  

"This is it.  Come inside.  Oh and my name is Irvine by the way."  

"I'm Zell"  Irvine lead him into the dark depths of the house.  

"Irvine that you" a voice from within called.  

"Yeah mom I'm home and I brought company."  Zell just stood there.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Dollet~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"_I don't know what possessed me to help that kid.  I mean I knew he wasn't gonna get away from the cops by himself but why did I have to help him.  I'm in enough trouble with the cops as it is.  I could have just gone on my way and ignored it.  But no, not me, I had to help._" Irvine thought.  A quick run through the mucky streets brought him face to face with the boy he had saved.  Irvine motioned for the boy to follow him and they both took off running.  Reaching at last what looked like a hovel Irvine stopped and went inside taking Zell with him.  After introductions were made to his mom Irvine offered Zell some food.  Later that night Irvine invited Zell to sleep in his house after all the cops could still be looking for him.  He showed him to his room and told him not to touch anything.  

That's when Irvine's dad came home.  Behind him only a few steps away were the same four police as before.  Irvine gulped either they knew Zell was here or he was in trouble for his stunt earlier.  

"Irvine" Mr. Kinneas yelled out "get over here."  

Another gulp but Irvine forced himself to stand before his father.  

"What's this I hear about you helping some criminal escape today?" Irvine's father said his face red with anger.  At about that time Zell peeked his face through the stair rails but was careful not to be seen.  

"Well"  

"I don't know what you're talking about" Irvine lied.  

"You're lying.  Son I don't think you understand.  If they can't find that criminal they're taking you instead." anger aged Mr. Kinneas years.  

Irvine opened his mouth then shut it.  Zell realized that Irvine wasn't going to tell his location so instead of sending Irvine to jail because of his crime he was going to turn himself in.  

"I'm here." Zell called from the top of the stairs.  Irvine shook his head wildly.  

"Get him," one of the cops said.  Three policemen were on Zell and dragging him away before Irvine knew what happened.  

"I'll leave you to deal with your son.  But remember any more pranks from him and we'll be forced to take him in." the fourth cop said and left.  

Mr. Kinneas slowly turned to look at Irvine, again so much anger in his face.  Irvine actually trembled he had never seen his father so mad.  "Hiding that criminal here.  Hell helping that criminal escape.  What did you think you were doing?  Oh that's right I forgot you don't think.  Well I've had it with you and your little games.  You're leaving here.  I'm sending you away." Irvine's father stormed out leaving a pale Irvine behind.

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I don't know about you people but I didn't like this chapter as much as the first.  Tell me what you think.__


	3. Chapter 3

I don't know about this chapter some parts are ok but others I don't like so read it and tell me what you think.

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                                                           ~Chapter Three~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Balamb Garden~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Squall arrived at the Garden on foot.  He had taken a train to Balamb and walked the rest of the way unafraid of any monsters that might attack.  Unlike other new students at the Garden Squall was greeted by Headmaster Cid himself.  Squall knew why and glared at Cid.  "I'm a friend of your father and I just wanted to welcome you to the Garden." Cid said.  Squall just continued to glare.  Cid didn't seem to notice as he pointed out the various areas of the Garden.  Finally Cid left Squall at his new dorm room after telling him that his lessons started tomorrow.  

Squall glanced around the room quickly then started putting his things away.  The last object to be set in place was a picture of him, his mother and Ellone.  He missed Ellone so much already.  Now settled in his room Squall laid down on his bed.  No more Laguna and no more Ian was the happy thought going through his mind.

Squall woke up the next morning still happy to be away from his family.  That happiness stayed with him all week as he found out that none of his classes were hard and neither was training.  The only thing that dampened his mood was that Cid seemed to be following him around.  Cid had been asked by Laguna to keep Squall out of trouble and he was taking that request seriously.  Squall knew what was going on and spent most of the week weaving in an out of students trying to lose Cid.  He succeeded and rejoiced alone.

Only at the Garden for a short while he was already deemed a loner.  It didn't matter to him he didn't need or want others around.  From a young age Squall knew he was different from other children who seemed to constantly want somebody around.  He didn't mind being with his mom or Ellone but there were times when he wanted to be alone.  Other children never wanted to be alone some even feared it.  He didn't understand them and they didn't understand him.  He played by himself or with Ellone when he was little, now he could still be alone but he didn't have Ellone.  That was the only thing he missed about being home.

He missed Winhill also.  Now that he was without Laguna he realized that the last three years of his life he had spent hating Laguna not mourning for or missing his mom.  Now as he sat unaccompanied on his bed he thought of Winhill and his mom.  She was buried there and he was going to go back there one day.  For the rest of the month Squall's hatred towards his father grew even though he was rid of him.  But after awhile the hatred lessened and he started to forget about Laguna.  His new life at the Garden had started and he left his old life behind.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Galbadia Garden~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We met, Quistis and I, soon after she came to the garden.  We were the ones that wanted to be the best.  Me because I wanted to hurry and become a SeeD for my mother, her because she had to do everything to the greatest of her ability.  We were the top students in our class so the Instructor teamed us up.  

We were ten at the time and I thought she was bossy.  She thought I was annoying.  I hated her at first with her "Seifer do this" and "No Seifer that's wrong."  She just got on my nerves and stayed there jumping on them all day.  We had to train and study together.  The instructor set it up that way because I wasn't the brightest light in the night sky and she wasn't the best when it came to fighting.  I could help her train and she could help me study.  It was an uncomfortable relationship.  Until one day when we were 13:

"Um Seifer…can I talk to for a sec?" Quistis said awkwardly.  

"Yeah sure," responded Seifer.  

"Are we friends?" she asked.  

"I guess so.  We're always together."  

"But are we friends?"  

"Yeah we are.  I don't hate it when I'm in your presence and you're nice to be around." Seifer said.  

Quistis blushed with happiness.

At that time it seemed strange to me why she would ask a question like that but it didn't really matter.  Her asking that question changed our relationship.  It was no longer uncomfortable.  Three years of odd silences and nervous gestures gone with one question.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Balamb Garden~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Selphie had been released from the hospital for four months now.  She had gotten over the shock of her parents dieing and was almost back to normal when her aunt sent her away.  Selphie's aunt never wanted her but wouldn't send a sick child away.  Now that Selphie was better her aunt could ship her off without feeling any guilt.  "I knew she never wanted me.  I shouldn't have been so blind." Selphie said to herself as she packed her clothes.

            Upon arriving at Balamb Garden Selphie vowed that she would have a good time and forget all about her aunt.  And so she did.  Her first month there was hectic but Selphie soon got into a routine that let her search for fun things to do.  Her first project: The Garden Festival.  The girl that was running it needed all the help she could get and Selphie was willing to supply it.  Selphie and her new friend Wimbly tried to get the Festival running but they needed more people.  Selphie's new job was to try to recruit others.  Over the month she had been at the Garden Selphie had made quite a few friends but almost none of them wanted to help out.  Then when all seemed lost, Selphie happened to run into (literally) a boy about her age.  

"Uh...hi sorry I ran into you like that.  I'm just in a hurry.  I'm trying to find people to join the Garden Festival Committee." Selphie told him.  

"Are you okay?" the boy asked and held his hand out to Selphie.  

"Oh...yes I'm fine thanks." she took his hand and pulled herself up.  "I'm Selphie."

"Squall."

"It's nice to meet you.  Hey!! You wanna join the committee?" Selphie asked suddenly.

"Um it sounds great and all but no thanks."

"Oh please we really need people to join.  It'll be fun.  If you help me with this I'll help you with something."  Selphie was trying many tactics in order to get people to join.

"Well maybe can you...um can you I mean will you?" stuttered Squall

"I'll help you with anything if you join the Festival."

"You know in class how we have to have a partner?  Well you can pick your own but if you don't have a partner the instructor picks one for you and that's kinda embarrassing.  So will you...I mean unless you have somebody else already be my partner.  I'll help you with the Garden Festival every year."

"Your partner, sure that's no prob you made it seem like such a big deal.  After class later we gotta tell Wimbly that you joined the committee.  She'll be very happy." Selphie was very happy herself.  Now she didn't have to bother with finding a partner and she had gotten someone to join the committee.

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Does anyone think Squall sounds unSquall-ish tell me cause I don't know but I think something is wrong.


	4. Chapter 4

Things start to look better in this chapter so enjoy.  Sorry this took so long I had it all written in my notebook but then I never typed it up.  Also sorry Irvine's part is really short I couldn't think of anything to do for him, Rinoa either.

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~Chapter Four~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Balamb Garden~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Zell was given two options one was to go to jail and the other was to go with Headmaster Cid to Balamb Garden.  Almost immediately after Zell had been arrested Cid had shown up at the police station.  He bargained with the police and eventually they agreed that instead of going to jail Zell could go to the Garden.  Amazed at his luck Zell sat quietly beside Headmaster Cid as a car took them to the Garden.  When they arrived a Garden Faculty member showed Zell to his room and explained his class schedules.  Zell only half listened he was still surprised and happy to be free of the threat of imprisonment.

            The next morning Zell woke up and tried to remember where he was.  Not his home, not jail, then he remembered Balamb Garden.  Smiling to himself he got dressed in a uniform that had been issued to him by the Garden.  As he left his bedroom he saw that his roommates door was closed.  He wondered for a second who it was but then decided he was hungry and so he stopped caring about his roommate.

            Although Zell's day started out well enough he soon learned that life at the Garden was harder than he thought it would be.  The first thing that went wrong on his ever so long first day was he was late for class.  Next he had to relearn karate moves in training.  And finally he had to end his day without any hotdogs for he was to late for there to be any left.

            One of the hardest new things for Zell though despite what is mentioned above was that he had to follow a whole new set of rules.  There was a great difference in the rules of living on the street to the rules of living in the Garden.  Plus he wasn't exactly a full time Garden trainee yet.  He was sort of on probation.  He couldn't do anything wrong in or outside the Garden for some time or he would be given back to the police.  The hated thought of being sent to the police kept Zell in line.  He no longer got in trouble for stupid things.  Only on thing he really had to watch out for was his temper.  It almost got him in trouble his first month at the garden but he soon learned to control it.

            Within the time of two months Zell settled into the Garden and it's routine.  He got to his classes on time and had just started learning new things in training class.  The only thing that he stilled failed at was getting hotdogs.  It seemed to him that they were impossible to get.  The second he entered the cafeteria was the second the last hotdog was taken.  He assumed he was cursed, made to forever be without his beloved hotdog when a ray of shining hope came his way in the form of a young girl.  Her name was Morgan and every once in awhile she would save Zell a hotdog.  She also followed him around quite a bit.  He was a little creeped out by her but always accepted the hotdog gratefully.

            Morgan wasn't the only friend Zell had.  Over time he had collected a rather large group of friends.  Life to him seemed almost perfect.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Galbadia Garden~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Quistis walked down the hall quickly she was meeting her partner today.  Nerves took over her body she didn't want her partner to hate her.  It wouldn't be good to have to work with some one that's hates you.  She had also heard around the Garden that her partner to be was mean.  Horrible images of this evil child filled her mind.  The closer she got to classroom door the more she thought of her partner as a monster not a human.  The closer she got to the door the more her palms started to sweating and the weaker her knees got.  Finally she reached the door.  There she had to collect herself for a few moments.  She opened the door and slipped inside making almost no noise.  Her instructor looked her and said, "Quistis I would like you to meet your partner.  This is Seifer."  Seifer stood about three feet away from Quistis with his I don't care look on.  Quistis slowly carefully extended her small hand.  Seifer looked at it for a minute then decided to shake it.  Quistis breathed a sigh of relief.  He wasn't so bad.  

"Well now that everyone has their partners we can start our serious training." the instructor said.  Soon everyone had their practice weapons out and was practicing together.  At first Seifer's fighting style amazed Quistis.  She had been reading books on fighting the week before she left but to actually fight it was totally different.  It also was different from all the practicing on the dummies they had been doing.  To actually practice against a human was very hard.  A human blocked a doll didn't.  Quistis never landed a hit on Seifer that day.

Towards the end of class one thing was starting to bother Quistis.  It was that Seifer hadn't talked to her the whole time they had practiced.  All the other teams had talked.  Worry filled Quistis again.  Her partner really didn't like her.  

Weeks past and she and Seifer barely ever talked except when she was helping him study.  He never talked to her when they practiced fighting.  At first Quistis thought it was because she was so bad at fighting he didn't want to talk to her.  She soon learned that it was just because he always concentrated so hard while fighting.  Every time Seifer didn't speak to her she thought she did something wrong, things were odd for her.  Finally she didn't care anymore.  If the silence between Seifer and herself was interfering with her lesson she would just have to ignore it.  So now instead of caring if she had done something to upset Seifer she started to concentrate on fighting better.  She made a very large improvement after that.  Even Seifer noticed and told her so.  Now that she had made an improvement she decided that it was time to make Seifer improve his studies.  She set a strict study plan for them and made sure Seifer learned it all.  This tactic proved very useful to both of them.  They were the top students in their classes and all the studying seemed to help calm Seifer's anger down.  They still didn't talk much but it was a slight improvement over before.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Trabia Garden~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            The cursed room that Irvine stood in seemed to grow more like a prison each second.  His father really had sent him away.  Even after many tears from his mother his father still hadn't relented.  So here he stood alone in his side or the dorm room.  Now being shipped away by his father should have had some affect on him.  It was just the opposite.  He didn't care at all.  It didn't matter to him where he was going to spend the next years of his life.  It only mattered that he was away from his dad.  For a while Irvine had been getting in more and more trouble.  This caused his father to yell at him constantly.  

            As much as he had tried Irvine couldn't make himself mad at his father for sending him away.  It was going to be much better here at Trabia Garden.  He was going to learn how to use his gun better.  He didn't know why his gun was so important to him but he realized it was going to be his way of life.  A sharpshooter, yes that's what he wanted to be.  Maybe he had watched too much television when he was younger but in his mind the men that carried a gun always got the girls.

            Girls didn't quite matter to him yet but he knew one day they would so he might as well practice with his gun now so when that time came he would be prepared.  One thing he didn't like about Trabia was how it was so into the arts.  Nearly everyone helped out with the Garden festival and tons of others were in bands or did some other type of art.  Irvine wasn't good at any type of art it bored him really.  Finally not to be an outcast he took up guitar lessons from his older roommate.  He got relatively good at it but it still didn't interest him.  Neither did the Garden festival which people tried to get him to join regularly.  All the students when they weren't planning the Garden Festival they were planning another event to have.  It got excessive but eventually Irvine joined in.  The Battle of the Bands was his first major planning event he did.  After that he eased up on the art stuff and went back to learning fighting.  Life was peaceful now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Deling City~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            With her mother being in the hospital more Rinoa was forced to spend more time with her father or by herself.  When she was with her father she was bored out of her mind.  There was nothing to do with him or and anywhere he took her was stupid.  Besides even if there was something interesting she wouldn't of cared about it.  She was too worried about her mother.  Julia had been in the hospital for almost a month now.  The doctors said she'd be out any day now but they had been saying that for a while now.  While the thought of her mother coming back from the hospital was optimistic the reality that she wasn't was depressing.  

Rinoa didn't like to be sad but she didn't like to be forced to be happy either.  Instead of focusing on her emotions she focused on her Blaster Edge.  She had become a pretty good fighter.  Unfortunately for her she couldn't concentrate on fighting which cause her some minor injuries.  The minor injuries started to build up until finally her father forbid her to use her weapon.  It wasn't ladylike anyway he said.  Now with nothing to take her mind off her mother Rinoa started to mope around the house.  The more she did that the more her father tried to take her places with him.  Not out of concern really just out of the fact that if he took her places it would look to others like he was trying to cheer her up.  Appearance was a very important thing to her father.

Sick of always being dragged around with her father Rinoa started visiting her mother more.  The hospital was a horrid place to Rinoa.  It smelled funny and she hated seeing her mother in the hospital gown.  It was so unlike her mother's usual outfits.  Everything at the hospital was completely different from everything at home.

At long last Julia returned home.  But she returned home a different woman from the one that went away.  This new Julia was sick of pretending.  She was sick of being smothered.  So instead of taking it anymore she decided to leave.  She took Rinoa with her leaving behind General Caraway.  He made lame excuses to his friends and covered up the truth of his wife leaving because it would have been bad on his image.  After she was gone for some time Rinoa started to wonder if her father even missed them.  Her mother and her father had not spoken to each other since Julia and Rinoa moved to Timber.  

Once Julia and Rinoa moved in Timber Julia took her maiden name back.  The last name Caraway would connect her to General Caraway who was not a much liked figure in Timber.  Galbadia had taken over Timber a long time ago but the residents there were still bitter about it.  Everyone in the town was part of some resistance group.  That was one reason Julia wanted to move there.  In her own way moving to a town that hated Galbadia was like showing her own loathing of it, and showing her rebellion to her husband.  Rinoa fit in perfectly fine in Timber.  She disliked Galbadia and her father as much as everyone else did.  She too had taken her mother's maiden name.  No one ever knew that she was related to anything Galbadian.


	5. Chapter 5

This is the longest chapter yet but that's because it takes place over four years.  I'm sorry it took so long to put up but half of it got deleted and I couldn't make it sound right again.  This whole chapter is about Seifer and Quistis except for once when Rinoa makes a cameo.  

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

~Chapter Five~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Galbadia Garden~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Quistis was studying again.  She wanted to make sure she kept her spot at the head of the class even if Seifer didn't seem to care if he did.  He hadn't studied all day, instead he had dragged a practice dummy over to where she studied and had proceeded to attack it making the most noise he possibly could.  

"Seifer would you stop that already and come study." Quistis yelled.  

"What ever you say mom." Seifer snickered at her.

"Seifer come on.  I'm serious we got to study.  You've been hacking away at that thing all day."

"Alright I'm coming...sooner or later."

"No come on now."

"Fine, fine, fine I'm coming."

"Good lets begin then." Quistis regained her superior look.  A look that Seifer couldn't help taunting.

"Quistis if I behave myself can I get off early."

"We have to study besides if you leave early it will throw my study plan off."

"Ya know what?  You study way too much.  If you don't study for one night it's not gonna kill you.  Hell it's not gonna even make you get out off the head of the class spot.  You need to lighten up."

"Whatever just sit down and study." Quistis didn't know which she disliked more the time before when she and Seifer hadn't talked or now when he wouldn't shut up.  Even as she thought this he was talking.

"I got a great idea...Let's go out somewhere.  Just you and me.  We'll have fun I know we will.  Come on what do you say.  One night away from these books isn't gonna hurt.  If you do this I'll study like an angel for the rest of the week."

"That's not going to work its Friday today.  All next week and you got a deal."

" Fine." Seifer was beaten into submission and secretly glad about it.  Now he was going on a date with Quistis who he wasn't going to admit he had a crush on.

"Not tonight though." Quistis burst his bubble.

"Why not?"

"You study tonight I'll believe your promise and we'll go out tomorrow."

"Gah...you strike a hard bargain but ok I'll study tonight." Seifer shook his head sadly.

"Excellent now I can study in peace.  Come on don't sit around then open up your books," as she said this she pulled out a huge planner and pointed at what Seifer had to study.

"What is all that?  There's tons of stuff to do.  Why so much?  I'm not gonna have time to finish it all tonight."

"Well that's what you get for interrupting my study plan.  You were supposed to start this earlier so you'd get it done but it looks like you won't be able to now.  Oh well I guess you'll just have to finish it tomorrow.  I won't let you back my study plan up even if it means not going out tomorrow." Quistis knew how to get what she wanted.

"No I'll get it done by tomorrow.  We can still go out.  It's all good.  See look I'm starting now."

And so he did.  He worked late into the night even after Quistis left the library.  He stayed in the library until a Garden faculty member told him to leave.  Even then he didn't quit his work.  He just took his books up to his room and finished his work there.  It was around 2:30 before he finally crawled into bed and collapsed underneath his sheets.  He had never worked so hard to get a girl to go out with him.  "Damn this better be worth it." Seifer said out loud but in his mind he knew it would be.  He closed his eyes and slept peacefully until morning.

A large amount of bright light woke him in the morning.  He turned to look at his clock only to see that he had barely a few minutes to get to class.  He threw clothes on and ran out of the dorms trying to get to class on time.  If he didn't make it his teacher would be horribly mad and he probably wouldn't get to go out tonight.  He made it to class just as the bell was ringing.  His teacher gave him a stern look but said nothing since he had made it in time.  Quistis however glared at him for almost being late.  He tried to ignore it but after awhile it's hard to pretend something's not happening if it's staring at the side of your head.  He turned to face her and smiled.  She just turned her head the other way.  "What's up I made it didn't I," Seifer whispered.  "You make me mad.  You don't take things seriously enough.  Now shh."  Quistis didn't look at him for the rest of the morning.  Seifer finally caught up with her at lunchtime.  "Quistis I take things seriously.  See look I did all the work you gave me.  That's why I was almost late I stayed up late in order to finish it.  But you gotta look I did it all."  "You did finish it.  I guess that means we're still on for tonight," she said it with an almost sad voice.  "What's wrong now you don't want to go out with me tonight?" Seifer questioned anxiously.  "It's nothing I do want to go out tonight."  The thing that was bothering her was that she had a crush on Seifer.  She believed that he was just taking her out so he wouldn't have to study tonight.  She figured that they'd go out once and then he would go find other people to go with and she'd be stuck liking him but having to watch him date many people.  "Smile then, act happy.  Tonight's gonna be fun." Seifer was looking at her with big eyes.  Quistis nodded and smiled as she walked back to the classroom for afternoon classes.  Seifer caught up to her and walked beside her.  Quistis blushed with happiness.

As soon as afternoon classes let out Quistis ran back to her room worrying about what she was going to wear tonight.  Her roommate offered to help her decide and together they picked out an excellent outfit.  Seifer unlike Quistis wasn't worrying about his looks.  He barely planned on brushing his hair before they left.  He was however worrying about what they were going to do on their date.  There was nothing to do around Galbadia Garden.  The most that they could do would be to go to the café at the train station.  They could hang out there for a while or if they had time they could take the train into Timber but it wasn't really allowed.  The Garden didn't want students to go into Timber without an adult.  Galbadia was hated by Timber.  Quistis would never go for the whole being sneaky bit.  He decided that then they would just have to hang out at the café.

Seifer met Quistis at the front gate at 7 o'clock.  They walked over to the train station saying nothing.  It was very awkward for the both of them.  After what seemed to be ages they arrived.  Seifer ordered hot chocolate for them and a cake thing for himself.  Then they sat by a window and avoided each other's eyes.  

"Um...so...I hope this ah...night away from the Garden didn't affect your study program." Seifer said trying to break the silence.  

"No it's fine I just had to adjust it slightly.  We'll catch up in a few nights.  Especially because you promised you'd behave during study time."  

"Yeah...heh heh." Seifer smiled weakly.  

"You can't go back on your promise."  

"I won't it's just that I only just realized that for a week I'm gonna hafta obey your every command.  It's a scary thought."  Quistis gave him a mean look but didn't say anything.  

"So...why do you have to be at the head of the class all the time?" Seifer asked making another brave stab for conversation.  

"It's just my nature.  I have to do my best and I have to make you do yours.  Also I plan on taking my SeeD exam when I'm 15."

"Why so young?  You could wait a year or two and take it when you have more experience."

"I wanna become an instructor.  I plan on becoming a SeeD and start studying for my instructor's license right away."

"That's a huge plan.  I'm sure you'll be able to do it and all but wow it's amazing.  I could never plan so much like that." Seifer said in awe.

"It's not hard.  I'll help you if you want."

"It's not in my nature.  I have to live day-by-day I guess.  I can't plan so far ahead.  But thanks anyway."

The conversation slowly drifted away from school.  For the next hour they made small talk about nothing really important.  They had just moved onto the subjects of families when Seifer decided it was time to leave the café.  Quistis followed him out not pressing for details about his past since he obviously didn't want to tell her about it.  Instead she talked about fighting techniques.  She thought that it was an odd subject for a date but she knew that it would capture Seifer's attention.  They resumed talking until they got back to the Garden.  Instead of them leaving each other at the front gate Seifer walked Quistis back to her room.  On the way there he slowly slipped his hand into hers.  She didn't pull it away she just relished the feeling of his hand in hers.  Finally the dreadful moment of goodbye came.  They had reached her door and instead of just leaving they stood outside for a few moments until finally in an act of bravery Seifer leaned over and pecked Quistis on the lips.  He then proceeded to turn and run down the hall toward his own dorm room.  Quistis touched her hand to her lips and went inside her room smiling.

That wasn't the last kiss Seifer ever gave Quistis they became boyfriend and girlfriend a week after their date.  Quistis was pleasantly surprised with it all; she had never expected Seifer to want anything more than friendship with her.  Seifer at the same time was surprised that Quistis would actually want more than friendship with him.  He thought that she would want someone who was on top of things like her.  Quistis voiced their differences to her roommate and asked, "Why do you think we fit together if we're so different?  We don't really like the same things at all."  Her roommate told her, "Opposites attract and you guys do have things in common."  Quistis wasn't sure about that but it didn't matter she was happy to not worry for once and just enjoy her relationship with Seifer.  The bad thing for Seifer was that he figured he'd have to be a little nicer to her now.  He'd have to at least try to pay attention when she gave him boring lectures about the lessons they had learned.  Quistis was at first too wrapped up in the idea of Seifer being her boyfriend to concentrate much on school work but after her first less than perfect score she had to get back on track.  Seifer had enjoyed the week of no schoolwork but once it returned he just went with it again.  The two of them decided that they wouldn't study Saturday nights and they would go out then but Quistis said only if they had finished all the work for that week first.  That meant almost ever Friday night Seifer was up until very late finishing his work.  They spent so much time together just because of school one would think that they would want to spend Saturdays apart.  On Saturdays once lessons were over they would meet by the front gate and do things together.  They said that they couldn't get sick of each other because the time they spent together during the week was strictly for schoolwork.  The time they spent on the weekends was their own time to be together.  

They had a peaceful relationship for two people who were rather opinionated.  No real fights broke out the first year they were together.  But when one finally did it was a huge one.  At age fourteen Quistis was becoming more worried about her SeeD exams.  She had only a couple of months before her fifteenth birthday and the SeeD exam.  She packed on so much extra studying for herself that she barely had time to see Seifer.  She even started canceling the plans to spend Saturdays together.  Seifer understood how important it was to her to become a SeeD at age fifteen but he didn't understand why she couldn't take one night off a week to spend time with him.  After the first few cancellations Seifer got annoyed at her.  He confronted her once about it and she had brushed him off telling him that they'd hang out the Saturday coming up.  But when that Saturday came Quistis only stayed with Seifer for about an hour before she decided she had to go.  Seifer got really mad then.  

He looked at her for a few seconds and then said, "Fine go study...I don't care anymore.  You don't want to spend any time with me anymore.  But it's all ok...you go study.  Go become a SeeD forget all about me.  I won't be here when you come back though."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing but obviously becoming a SeeD is more important to you then spending any time with me.  You can't even take one night off a week to spend time with me.  All you do is study and I don't even think that will help you pass the test." Seifer said meanly.

"Why not?  I'm prepared.  I'll do fine you're just mad that you have no chance of passing the SeeD exams." Quistis was angry with him to.

"I'm not trying to pass this year.  I don't care if I fail this year it's not important to me.  You are or rather you were the important thing to me.  I want to see you succeed but I think you go about it the wrong way.  It has been proven that by taking some time to spend away from the books actually helps people.  Also I thought I was important to you.  But maybe I was wrong.  I dunno anymore." Seifer didn't sound mean anymore just a little sad.

"You are important to..." Quistis started to say but was cut off.

"If I was really important to you don't you think you would want to spend time with me."

"I do want to spend time with you but...but I really have to study for the exam.  As soon as it is all over everything can go back to normal.  We..."

Seifer cut her off again by saying, "No it can't because then you'll just be studying to try to become a teacher.  Nothing will change; you'll always have to study for something.  Also when you become a teacher who knows where you will teach.  We will get separated nothing can be the same."

"Things will be different but it doesn't mean that we can't stay together.  I'm sorry I've been so busy lately.  I really have to become a SeeD this year.  I'm sorry that I took so much time away from us.  I'm going to spend every Saturday with you, the whole Saturday.  I won't break this promise.  Please believe me." Quistis looked at Seifer with sad eyes.

"All Saturday…the whole day you better keep this promise.  If you do I'll forgive you.  I'll also help you train for your field exam.  You need to practice fighting more.  You'll pass this year for sure." Seifer said with a small grin.

After their fight was over everything went back to normal.  Seifer helped Quistis with fighting until she became rather good at using her weapon.  He had so much faith in her, he was so positive that she would pass the SeeD exam that year.  With Seifer's help Quistis became more confident in her ability to pass the exam that she started taking more than one night off a week from studying.  She and Seifer were happy again and so their relationship continued unharmed.  The weeks until the SeeD exam passed by too quickly for Quistis until finally it was the day of the written exam.  She woke up that morning to find Seifer waiting for her in the sitting area between her and her roommate's room.  He greeted her with a huge smile and a kiss on the lips.  She smiled back at him and said, "What are you doing up so early I thought you didn't exist until at least 10am."  "I wanted to see you before the test and I knew it started early."  Quistis smiled again.  "Let me just change into my uniform and we'll go down to breakfast before the test." She said.  "Ok" Seifer sat down to wait.  A few moments later Quistis emerged with a nervous smile on her face.  Seifer could already tell that she was getting worried about the exam.  He put his arm around her shoulder and led her to the cafeteria.  Quistis forced herself to eat some breakfast.  Her nerves weren't letting her eat much though.  She knew that she had studied her hardest so she shouldn't have to worry about failing but she still did.  Seifer tried to make small talk that would distract her but he failed.  Eventually the time came for Quistis to go take the test.  Seifer walked her to the classroom and asked, "Do you want me to wait outside here for you?"  "It's a two hour test you'll get bored.  You don't have to wait you can just come back later." She responded.  Seifer gave her a quick hug and wished her luck before he watched her enter the classroom.  He stood outside the door for a couple of minutes but then decided to go calm his own nerves in the training center.  He was very nervous for her and he didn't know why.  He had so much faith that she would pass that he shouldn't be worrying.  He paced the training center for a while before returning to the classroom.  Quistis still had some time left but Seifer stayed outside waiting for her.  A while later Quistis exited the classroom.  The second she did Seifer bombarded her with questions.  "How do you think you did?  Was it hard?  Did you understand everything?  Do you think you passed?  When will you find out your score?"  Quistis paused a moment to get her thoughts organized before she answered Seifer.  "It wasn't hard at all.  I studied everything on there.  I'm almost sure I passed.  I'll find out my score tomorrow."  Seifer was happy for her but also a little worried.  If she passed the written exam (which he was sure she did) she would have to take the field exam.  He was worried about that part.  She was good at bookwork but at fighting she was sometimes sloppy.  He pulled her hand into his and they walked away from the classroom.

The next day Quistis skipped back and forth outside the classroom waiting to see the results of the exam.  Seifer stood behind her trying to make her calm down.  A faculty member put up the scores and Quistis ran forward to look at them.  A screech of happiness emerged from her lips and she ran back to hug Seifer.  Not only had she passed the written exam she had gotten the highest score.  Seifer hugged her back squeezing her tightly to his body.  People came up and congratulated Quistis all day.  She seemed so happy about her score she loved that everyone knew.  All that day she didn't worry about the field exam but that night when she was finally alone with Seifer she started to worry again.  Seifer patted her back and told her she'd do fine.  They tired to keep their minds off the upcoming test.

**Two Days Later**

Quistis woke up on the day of her field exam nervous and frightened.  She was worrying herself sick and she knew she shouldn't.  She had trained for this part of the exam also.  It wasn't like she didn't know anything about fighting.  It was that she had heard that people had actually died on the field exam and she wasn't sure she was entirely ready to take such a big risk.  "Quisty you'll do fine.  Nothing's gonna happen.  You'll pass this just like you passed the written test.  I know you'll pass." Seifer said this even though he wasn't entirely sure she would pass the field exam.  Quistis nodded and headed for the parking lot.  Seifer waved goodbye to her and went to wait in his room.  Quistis took panicky steps to the awaiting car.  Inside she faced her other group members they all looked as scared as she did.  They all gave each other a puny smile before settling back into anxious silence.  Soon an instructor came over to them with their task.  Squad B (which was what they were) was to secure the area around the Pub and TV station in Timber.  A large resistance group had formed to protest and it turned violent.  Quistis' squad consisted of six people herself included.  The Squad leader decided to split the group up into two groups one to strictly watch the Pub and the other the TV station.  The Galbadian soldiers were the ones who were actually gonna to capture the rebels but the students were there to make sure no one got away and to smother and other protests that might arise in there area.  This didn't seem like such a hard mission to Quistis there were other soldiers present so she didn't really need to worry.  Her group was sent to watch the TV station there they waited and only got into one little battle.  The person was easily disposed of and their test remained easy.  A couple hours later most of the resistance group's members were either arrested or in hiding.  An order went out for the students to return to the vehicles after a Galbadian soldier came and relieved them.  While waiting for the solider Quistis noticed out of the corner of her eye and small figure appear in the shadows.  She turned her head to get a better look.  The figure was of a girl about her own age with dark hair.  '_She's probably a member of the resistance group,_' thought Quistis.  The girl continued to slip silently backward trying to make her escape from the city.  Quistis debated with herself whether or not to turn this girl in.  What damaged could a little girl like that do?  If Quistis turned her in she would be sent to the Desert Prison and Quistis didn't want to be the one to send her.  She turned her head back and ignored the girl.  By the time the relief soldier came the girl was long gone and her squad was ready to leave.  The field exam wasn't nearly as hard as she thought it was going to be.  It was more boring then anything.

Seifer waited in the parking lot for the cars to return when they did he ran over to the car Quistis was in.  She stepped out, grabbed his hand, and led him away.  They walked around the garden talking about her exam.  Seifer was relieved to know that the exam had been easy now he had no worries that she would pass.  The next day all the students that had taken the field exam had to report to the cafeteria in order to be told their scores.  Seifer went with Quistis for moral support.  A faculty member called out the names of the new SeeDs and told them to proceed to Headmaster Martine's office.  Quistis was one of the surprisingly many people called.  She went into the office calmly but exited at a run waving around her certificate that showed she was a SeeD.

That night instead of going to the SeeD ball Quistis and Seifer sat outside talking.  Seifer was now worrying that Quistis would get sent away or something.  She assured him that that wasn't going to happen.  She had already signed up to take the course in becoming and instructor.  They would be together for at least another year depending if Seifer took his SeeD exam at age 16.  Seifer stopped worrying there was no point to it.  They stayed outside for a long time just being happy that they were together.  

Quistis' instructor class didn't start for a couple of weeks and that made Seifer start to worry all over again.  He didn't want for her to be sent on a mission and not return. Both of the times he heard she got a mission he became worried.  Both of the missions were easy and didn't require her to stay away from the Garden.  She returned and finally started her instructor course.  Seifer had enjoyed the couple of weeks that Quistis didn't have to study it had meant that she didn't make him study either but the second her instructor class started she made him work once again.  Everything went back to being quiet and normal for a while.  The quietness didn't last for long.  People started picking on Seifer because his girlfriend outranked him.  The more they teased him the more angry he got until he started to fight the people.  Over the years of him working with Quistis she had helped him to stop his violent tendencies but now everything that they worked on went right out of his head.  He only knew one way to get people to stop and that was to fight them.  He got into fights regularly for a while until the Headmaster said that if he kept all the fights up that they might be forced to ask Quistis to take her instructor class at another Garden.  Seifer stopped with all the fights immediately he didn't want Quistis to go.  Again peace returned.

About a year after Quistis' exam Seifer was preparing to take his own.  He was going to wait to try until he was 17 but he changed his mind.  He wanted to be a SeeD as soon as possible.  Quistis helped him study right away.  She loaded on extra studying so he'd be ready for the written test.  Seifer did all the work she gave him but he didn't feel anymore confident.  He had no faith that he was going to pass that year.  Quistis tried to cheer him on and make him feel ready but he still wasn't confident.  That lack of confidence or maybe it was that he wasn't ready hurt him.  He failed the written exam by three points.  Although he was upset he didn't show it.  He just started to study for next year's exam.

At age 17 Seifer and Quistis were both preparing for a big exam.  Seifer was confident that he would pass his SeeD exam this year and Quistis was ready for her instructor exam.  Both of the tests were on the same day.  The night before the tests they took off from studying to discuss what would happen to them if they passed.  Seifer would be a full-fledged SeeD and go on missions while Quistis would be and instructor and end up a one of the Gardens.  They might get separated.

"Where do you think you'll be going after you pass your exam?" Seifer asked.

Quistis at first was reluctant to tell him because she had already talked to the Headmaster and he had told her that if she passed he had a job for her, a job that wasn't in Galbadia Garden.  "Oh…um…well Headmaster Martine told me that an instructors job opened up at Balamb Garden so I'll probably end up there." Quistis said quietly.

Instead of the upset response she had expected Seifer sounded joyful when he said, "Well that's great.  Balamb Garden is where all the SeeDs are stationed.  We'll still be together."

Quistis had forgot that the SeeDs were stationed in Balamb she wouldn't have to leave Seifer.  She sent away any thoughts that told her that Seifer would be gone on missions.  Seifer also ignored those thoughts.  They left each other early that night in order to be prepared for their exams.  In the morning they met up for breakfast and after walked each other to the classrooms.  Seifer started his exam and realized it seemed a lot easier then the last one.  He was much more confident that he would pass this time.  Quistis also as she sat in another classroom thought her exam was easy.  They both exited their classrooms at about the same time and went down to the Quad to relax.  The next day dawned and the results of the tests were in.  Seifer surprised himself by getting one of the higher grades in his class.  Quistis also passed her exam with flying colors.  All that was left for Seifer was his field exam; Quistis didn't need to pass a field exam to become a teacher.  The SeeD field exam was in two days over that time Quistis packed her stuff to go to Balamb Garden.  She was going to stay at Galbadia until after Seifer's field test but she felt that she should be ready to go as soon as possible.  The afternoon before Seifer's field exam a letter came for him.  Letters for Seifer were rare his mother wrote to him every once but it seemed she had a hard time posting the letters as if something was keeping her away.  Quistis didn't know anything about Seifer's family so she didn't know what could be stopping Seifer's mom from writing to him.  Seifer tore open the letter when he saw that a hand that was not his mother's addressed it.  He read it over frantically once then twice and if he had read something that he didn't want to absorb.  He left Quistis standing in the hall and ran to his room.  Quistis followed after him trying to find out what was wrong.  He didn't answer his door when she knocked and so she turned away wondering what that letter had said.  She spent a sleepless night worrying about him while he spent a sleepless night reading his letter growing sadder and angrier after each reading.

The next morning came and with it came Seifer's field exam.  Quistis waited outside Seifer's door to see if he would come out for his field test.  He did and they went down to the Parking lot.  Seifer didn't say anything about the letter and Quistis didn't want to ask him about it if it would distract him from his field exam.  Seifer's field exam took him to Deling city.  In Deling city his squad (which he was the leader of) was made to guard General Caraway's Mansion from an attack of anonymous soldiers.  Seifer led his group to Caraway's then left them.  He snuck away quietly leaving them alone.  He ran to prison in the outskirts of town.  The prison was rather empty because all the guards were gone to fight the mysterious soldiers.  Seifer climbed a flight of stairs and ran into a guard, which he quickly knocked unconscious and pushed out of his way.  He searched every cell until coming to the last one in it was his father.  Seifer stood tall as he glared at his father.  His father in return looked up at him and said with a curious voice, "Seifer?"  Seifer nodded and continued to glare.  They remained looking at each other for a while before Seifer lifted up his Gunblade to strike his father.  His father's eyes grew wide where was the little boy the one he could control.  Now a grown man stood before him ready to strike him down just like he used to strike the little boy.  "You killed mom." Seifer choked out at last.  Darrel nodded now with an evil gleam in his eyes.  "So what if I did she deserved it just like you deserved it when I used to hit you."  Seifer let out a scream and went to slash his father.  Two sets of hands wrestled Seifer back and took his Gunblade away from him.  Darrel laughed as Seifer was dragged away by two SeeDs.

Quistis was waiting for Seifer to return with the rest of the SeeD candidates but when the cars got back Seifer wasn't with them.  She went in search of the members of his group then.  She only found one the others had been wounded.  Now extremely worried Quistis paced back and forth in the main hall.  Finally after a very long time Quistis saw a car approaching the Garden.  Two SeeDs exited the car and dragged inside with them Seifer.  Seifer at that point had calmed down enough to stop fighting to get away now he just trudged slowly along with them to the Headmaster's office.  Quistis followed and waited outside the office.

"Seifer what did you think you were doing out there?" Martine asked.

Seifer didn't respond only looked away.

"You know what you did was very foolish.  You left your group member stranded at Caraway's.  The enemy got to them some were wounded they could have been killed and it would have been your fault." Martine continued.

"It would have been their own fault they were trained to fight if they failed it was their fault." Seifer stated.

Martine continued as if Seifer hadn't spoken.  "Now these charges would usually make a person be expelled but on account of your grief," Martine held up the letter Seifer had received, "we'll make an exception.  You may remain here but you have severe punishment in the disciplinary room.  You can also still try to be a SeeD next year.  You are dismissed I'm having a SeeD escort you to the disciplinary room."

Seifer was led out of the room and into the hall where Quistis waited.  He didn't say anything to her he just turned his head and walked on.  In a few days everyone knew what had happened to Seifer.  There was no secret about what went on during his SeeD exam.  Quistis had to leave for Balamb Garden before Seifer got off of his punishment time.  She managed to see him once before she left but he was cold and distant to her.  She left Galbadia not knowing what to think.

Seifer's punishment didn't help to cool of his anger at his father.  That anger grew inside him until he was angry with everyone he knew excluding his posse who were there to back him up.  He even grew angry with Quistis for helping him to become less violent.  He convinced himself that the only people he needed were his posse because they were the only people who didn't try to change him.  Finally after enough of his rage built up he broke out of the disciplinary room and him and his posse ran away from the Garden.  Seifer had wanted to become a SeeD for his mother now with he gone he saw no reason to continue down that path.  He walked away from the Garden and his old life with anger, hatred, and no remorse.

Quistis was quite upset over Seifer's behavior when she arrived at Balamb Garden but she couldn't show it.  She had to take her place as an instructor and keep her personal life from interfering with her work.  Thoughts of Seifer filled her brain all the time.  Where was he?  She had heard that he had run away from Galbadia Garden and no one knew where he was.  She wondered if it meant that she'd never see him again.  She still loved him and thought he loved her but after two months and no word from Seifer she took it as an official ending of they're relationship.  She went on as if nothing had happened and continued on with her life.  No one knew how much she really did miss him.

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This chapter makes it start to show how Seifer turns bad like in the game and it moves Quistis into Balamb Garden.  All my characters are starting to come together.


End file.
